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Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

Why Quitting Smoking is Imperative Before Plastic Surgery

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With all of the known health risks associated with cigarettes, no doctor  would tell a patient that it was okay to continue with their smoking habit.  But even if a person ignores the warnings of the surgeon general and their regular doctor, it is absolutely imperative to quit the habit before undergoing surgery. Atlanta plastic surgeon Dr. John Leroy, recognizes the risks of smoking and surgery, and that is why he insists that all of his cosmetic surgery patients refrain from smoking a minimum of 2-4 weeks before surgery as well as 2-4 weeks after undergoing their procedure.

The problem with smoking and surgery is that the nicotine contained in cigarettes works to interrupt blood circulation. Interruptions in the circulatory system can lead to problems with healing, can cause infections, and can result in more pronounced post surgical scarring.

Recently featured on CNN was a woman named Susan Depiro, a breast implant and liposuction patient who considered herself a smoker. Fearful of increased scarring after surgery, she quit smoking 2 weeks prior to the procedure; but giving into the addiction, she started smoking again just days after surgery. She then goes on to describe what was a persistent “stabbing, burning feeling” in the area under the breast – a condition which turned out to be necrosis, or the dying of skin tissue, from lack of circulation caused by the nicotine.

While this example is an extreme case, it highlights the importance of quitting smoking before and after undergoing a cosmetic procedure. In fact, patients should not even be around second hand smoke. The longer a patient goes without cigarettes in their life, the less of a risk there will be of developing complications.

For more information on post surgical care and the procedures that Dr. LeRoy has to offer, contact his office today

Rise in Number of Popular Procedures Like Blepharoplasty Contributes to Over 17 Million Cosmetic Surgery Procedures Performed Last Year

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A recent survey by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) found that over 12.5 million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed last year in the US alone. The estimated number, found through random polling of physicians around the country, is higher than any other previously recorded number – a testament to the rising popularity and availability of cosmetic surgery in the US.

Contributing to this large number are blepharoplasty (eye lid surgery), abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and rhinoplasty (nose surgery) procedures– the fastest growing procedures over the past 5 years. (Dr. LeRoy offers all of these procedures – visit the website for more specific procedural information).

This number may come as a shock to some, who perceive cosmetic surgery as a “luxury” – but in fact, advancements in minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as Dr. LeRoy’s “Band Aid” procedures, have made cosmetic surgery more affordable to the average American than ever before.

In fact, you may have read last week’s blog on Dr. LeRoy’s original Band Aid Blepharoplasty. The fact that the procedure can be performed in-office with only local anesthesia contributes to its cost effectiveness and shorter recovery time.

But with this impressive number, comes an important warning: Just because a medical physician offers a cosmetic surgery procedure, does not mean that they have undergone specialized plastic surgery training. You want to make sure that you only receive cosmetic surgery from a physician that is a board certified plastic surgeon – ensuring they have received the proper training and have acquired enough needed experience.